Defend

Fight as a last resort and only when your life is in imminent danger. If others are with you, work together as a group.

Attempt to incapacitate the shooter.

Stand near the door, not across the room.

Act with as much physical aggression as possible.

Improvise weapons or throw items at the active shooter.

Commit to your actions… your life depends on it.

Call the University Police at 617.627.6911 (x66911 from a campus phone) as soon as it is safe to do so.

Information to Provide to Law Enforcement

Location of the active shooter.

Number of shooters.

Physical description of shooters.

Number and type of weapons held by the shooters.

Number of potential victims at location.

How to Respond When Law Enforcement Arrives on the Scene

Remain calm and follow instructions.

Drop items in your hands (e.g., bags, jackets).

Raise hands and spread fingers.

Keep hands visible at all times.

Avoid quick movements toward officers, such as holding on to them for safety.

Avoid pointing, screaming or yelling.

Do not ask questions when evacuating.

The first officers to arrive on scene will not stop to help the injured. Expect rescue teams to follow initial officers. These rescue teams will treat and remove the injured.

Once you have reached a safe location, you likely will be held in that area by law enforcement until the situation is under control and all witnesses have been identified and questioned. Do not leave the area until law enforcement authorities have instructed you to do so.

Violence Prevention

Recognizing Violent or Threatening Behavior

Violent behavior includes, but is not limited to:

Any physical assault, with or without weapons.

Behavior that a reasonable person would interpret as being potentially violent, such as throwing things, pounding on a desk or door, or destroying property.

Specific threats to inflict harm, such as a threat to shoot a named individual.

Use of any object to intimidate and/or attack another person.

Threatening behavior includes, but is not limited to:

Physical actions short of actual physical contact and/or injury, such as moving closer aggressively, waving arms or fists, yelling in an aggressive or threatening manner.

General oral or written threats (in any medium, including email and social media) to people or property, such as, “You better watch your back” or “I’ll get you” or “I’ll ruin your car.”

Threats made in a “joking” manner.

Stalking behavior.

Implicit threats, such as, “You’ll be sorry” or “This isn’t over yet.”

Reporting Violent or Threatening Behavior

If you are aware of a situation that has indicators of concern like the ones listed above, please share what you know with the Tufts Threat Assessment Team (TTAM).

In an emergency:

Get to a safe place.

If you are on campus, call University Police at 617.627.6911 (x66911 from a campus phone).

Tell police your location, the phone number you’re calling from, the nature of the emergency, and who is involved.

Safely notify others who might be in danger

In a non-emergency:

Emergency Telephone Numbers

In case of emergency call 617.627.6911 (x66911 from a campus phone). Fire on the Boston health sciences and SMFA campuses call 911. Visit the University Police website for a complete list of campus-specific phone numbers.

What Should I Do

If I see someone attacking others with a gun or hear gunfire?

Avoid: Trust your instincts and don’t delay. Get away as quickly as possible.

Deny: If you can’t flee, obstruct or deny the active shooter from accessing your area. Relocate if needed.

Defend: If all else fails, and only as a last resort, attack the shooter with whatever makeshift weapons you can find.

Call the University Police at 617.627.6911 (x66911 from a campus phone) as soon as it is safe to do so.